Comments

Anderson

No objection to state, local and certainly not private social programs, whenever, which is appropriate levels for them. The point is that 80 years of them at the federal level have ended up hurting the very people the programs were intended to help. The so-called War on Poverty was typical; that gigantic federal boondoggle has only increased poverty and social disorder.

Whenever

I agree that social investment would be better than big brother...but where is it??? Again, many of these kids come from environments where the benefits of a strong work ethic and education are none. Bring on the social non Governmental help! They need it!

Anderson

It's to be hoped, Whenever; but as a labor economist I can't help remembering that every increase in the minimum wage, not to mention child work rule, has generated a further increase in youth unemployment. Did you know unemployment among black worker was lower than among white workers fefore FDR's federal labor legislation? So, naturally, we need MORE such social endeavor now. Proves what Hazlitt wrote in, i.a., Chapts /XIX (Minimum Wage Laws) & XX (Do Unions Really Raise Wages), in "Economics in One Lesson" (free download at "fee dot org").

Whenever

Anderson, Most of the time I agree with you, but there is not much of a family farm environment here. This is a great program to get kids motivated in their own future. It also provides help for kids who come from environments where niether a work ethic or emphisis on education is provided. It is a "Teach a person to fish" kind of thing.

Anderson

I knew one boy in high school who didn't have summer and part-time jobs by the sophomore year. It was a case of force major and simply unbecoming of a boy not to. But that was long before union and fed watchdogs ever thought as they did recently - of keeping kids from working on their own families' farms. So now we have another bureaucrat to "promote" work experience. Good luck!